Seed Oil Free Slow-Braised Pork Carnitas in Lettuce Wraps

Slow-braised pork shoulder gets a deeply flavorful treatment here, rubbed with turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon before being seared in coconut oil and braised low and slow with orange juice, lime, bone broth, and fresh herbs. The result is fall-apart tender meat with caramelized, crispy edges straight from the broiler — the kind of carnitas that makes it genuinely hard to stop at one wrap. Every fat source in this recipe comes from coconut oil and the pork itself, so there's no canola, soybean, or sunflower oil hiding anywhere in the pot. That matters more than it sounds, because most restaurant carnitas and even store-bought versions are cooked in or finished with refined vegetable oils. Spooned into cool butter lettuce cups and topped with creamy avocado, sliced red onion, and fresh cilantro, the whole thing feels light and fresh despite the richness of the braise. A squeeze of lime over the top right before eating ties every layer together beautifully. This is the kind of recipe that earns a permanent spot in the weeknight rotation.

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